8 parties on Anna stage, Congress feels heat

Despite differences over the details of their positions, the presence of representatives of eight political parties on Anna Hazare’s stage at Jantar Mantar on Sunday is likely to put the Congress in a tight spot in Parliament on this issue as the total strength of these parties adds up to 201 MPs in the Lok Sabha. Leaders of BJP (115), SP (22), JD(U) (20), CPM (16), BJD (14), TDP (6), CPI (4) and Akali Dal (4) shared the platform with Hazare. Though the combined number of these parties is well below the halfway mark in the 543-member Lok Sabha, the fact that they chose to share the stage with Hazare a day after his direct attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is fraught with ominous signal for the Congress on this issue.

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